Canyoning and Via Ferrata
Canyoning is a popular sport involving travelling down creeks or streams within a canyon by a variety of means including walking, scrambling, climbing, abseiling and swimming. It requires skills in navigation, ropework and climbing. Obviously the operation of canyoning pursuits is dependant on appropriate weather conditions and the level of the water in the river. Therefore, it may be possible that the activity is not operational at times of particularly high (or low) water and, accordingly, we suggest you contact the operator earlier in your holiday rather than later, in order to avoid disappointment. Companies have qualified guides and the necessary equipment but participants should have a reasonable level of fitness and be competent swimmers.
Xtrem Sud
12 Quartier Capparonu di Precojo, l'Ospedale
Tel 04 95 72 12 31 or 04 95 70 01 20
Xtremsud.com
Canyoning in la Vacca Piscia di Gallo, Purcaraccia and Pulischellu canyons in the Bavella Massif.
Adventure Parc
Lac de L’Ospédale
Tel 04 95 72 12 31
Xtremsud.com
Offers Via Ferrata - an easy and more diffucult level. Enjoy spectacular 360 degree views of the lake at l'Ospedale and even Sardinia in the distance. Each trip takes between 30 and 50 mins.
Corse Odyssée
Quenza
Tel 04 95 78 64 05
Gite-corse-odyssee.com
Organised canyoning and walks.
Corse Montagne
Ste Lucie de Tallano
Tel 06 17 92 11 05
Corse-Montagne.com
Canyoning in the Pulischellu, Vacca and Piscia di Gallo canyons.
Christophe Pigeault, Porto Vecchio
Tel 04 95 78 58 25 or 06 20 61 76 81
aqa-canyon.com
Offer beginners day trips for €50 and trips for experienced people for €70. Protective gear supplied.
Corsica Forest, Porto Vecchio
Tel 06 16 18 00 58
Corsica-forest.com
Take canyoning trips in the valley up to Bavella from Solenzara from €45. Also experience the Via Ferrata in the same valley. For the less adventurous they have two adventure trails, one at Lecci and the other on the south side of Porto Vecchio.
Les Lezardos
Bonifacio
Tel 06 86 98 27 85
leslezardos.com for canyoning and climbing.
Corsica Canyon
Bavella Massif
Tel 06 22 91 61 44
canyoncorse.com
Offer canyoning trips from their base on the river to Pulischellu, Purcaraccia and vacca. Prices start from €50 for half day trips.
Canoeing
Canoeing is dependant on correct weather conditions and the level of the water in the river. It may not therefore always be possible and you are advised to contact the clubs earlier during your holiday rather than later, in order to avoid disappointment.
Bonif'Kayak
Piantarella beach east of Bonifacio
Tel 06 27 11 30 73
Bonifacio-Kayak.com
Guided trips into the caves and beneath the chalk cliffs of Bonifacio and to the sandy beaches of Piantarella and Sperone.
Lolly Loops
Plage de San Ciprianu
Tel 06 14 67 91 55
lollyloops.fr
Sporsica
Pinarello
Tel 06 24 26 51 83
sporsica.fr
Organised half-days in the bay of Pinarello or rental of sea kayaks.
Diving and snorkelling
The best dive sites on the island are predominantly on the west coast (although the waters around Bonifacio can be equally as interesting).
The waters around Bonifacio are the most dived in Corsica mainly because of the marine nature reserve (Réserve Naturelle des Bouches de Bonifacio). Diving here is a treasured experience with depths of up to 800m. Beginners can take advantage of the small inlets whilst the more experienced divers have the chance to visit the more renowned sites.
For those who are unqualified, an initiation dive (baptême) can be done with most of the clubs listed below. Those who are PADI qualified can go on organised dives and rent equipment, and include a number of world-renowned sites. Most of the dive shops on the island provide nitrox recharge facilities and sell a range of accessories and dive guides. The 'cathédrales' off the coast at Porto Pollo in the Valinco, the waters around Bonifacio, Scandola, Ajaccio, Cargèse, and Propriano are particularly well renowned for being prime diving spots.
The dramatically rugged landscape on the dry side of the shoreline continues underwater in the form of yet more mountains and canyons, needles, sharp peaks, rocky masses and scree. The onshore maquis scrub meanwhile transforms underwater into a handsome carpet of yellow flowering anemone, red coral and gorgonian. Underwater inhabitants on the island include grouper, brown meagre and dentex and there are a number of easily accessible wrecks to explore. Corsica's superb underwater kingdom has been impressively well preserved, thanks to the careful management of two internationally renowned marine nature reserves, the absence of an intensive commercial fishing industry and an almost total lack of polluters and pollutants.
Remember; do not go diving within the period of 24 hours before you are due to fly.
Dolfinu Biancu
Bonifacio port
Tel 04 95 72 01 33 or 06 21 46 71 49
Dolfinu-biancu.fr
Porto Vecchio Plongée
Rue Mansuetus Alessandri, Porto Vecchio
Tel 06 71 86 82 67
PortoVecchioPlongee.fr
Ecole de Plongée Hippocampe
Club la Chiappa, Porto Vecchion South
Tel 04 95 70 56 54 or 06 09 99 36 33
HippoCampe.de
Kallisté Plongée
Plage de Palombaggia
Tel 04 95 70 44 59
lekalliste-plongee.corsica
Oxygène
Santa Giulia
Tel 06 09 69 58 62
Oxygene-plongee.fr
Plongée Nature
9, Avenue Georges Pompidou, Porto Vecchio
Tel 06 19 26 26 51 or 06 64 43 26 04
Plongee-Nature.com
Plongée Subtortue
San Ciprianu
Tel 06 22 14 58 28
Subtortue.net
Barakouda
Avenue Sylver Bohn, Bonifacio
Tel 04 95 73 13 02
Club.Barakouda.Free.fr
Water Sports and boat rental
There are various sites in the area where you can practise windsurfing, catamaran and dinghy sailing, waterskiing and jet skiing. Remember that water skiing is a weather dependant activity, which requires a calm and flat sea. As the wind often picks up during the day, this is often on offer early mornings.The constant presence of the wind attracts windsurfers to Corsica, and the strong winds that whistle through the Straits of Bonifacio are some of the best in the Mediterranean for expert windsurfing. The island’s Mediterranean climate and varied bays and beaches also offer superb opportunities for swimming, rock swimming and snorkelling.
The bigger bays of the west coast and the southeast are the main centres for windsurfing as well as dinghy or small catamaran sailing. You can usually hire equipment, from an hour upwards, from fully licensed sailing clubs and many centres offer tuition. Please be aware that without the appropriate licence, you will only be able to rent a motorboat with an engine up to 6cv. If you wish to enrol on a course, we recommend you book early during your stay, especially at the height of the season.
Ecole de voile & kite surf Pinarello
Pinarello
Tel 06 86 85 62 08 or 04 95 20 81 42
kite-voile-pinarello.fr
Corsil Wake and Ski
Plage de Pinarello
Tel 04 95 71 44 41
corsil.com
Ecole de ski nautique St Cyprien
Commercial centre, St Cyprien
Tel 04 95 71 64 55 or 06 03 82 01 86
Lessons and accompanied trips on waterskis and wakeboards.
Le Ponton Wake & Ski
San Ciprianu beach
Tel 07 82 48 65 64
lepontoncorse.com
Lessons and accompanied trips on waterskis and wakeboards.
Lolly Loops
San Ciprianu beach
Tel 06 14 67 91 55
LollyLoops.fr
Lessons and equipment hire for windsurfing, catamarans, pedalos and kayaks.
La Petite Bleue
San Ciprianu beach
Tel 06 75 23 25 08
Group sailing lessons, boat rentals and also boat trips available.
Santa Giulia windsurfing school
Route de Moby Dick, Santa Giulia
Tel 04 95 70 58 62 or 06 22 74 49 53
Club-Nautique.fr
Hire out windsurfers and catamarans as well as give instruction.
Santa Giulia Ski club
Plage de Santa Giuila
Tel 06 14 23 59 99 / 06 19 54 64 19
santa-giulia-ski-club.com
Offers water skiing, wakeboarding, monoskiing and other activities.
Jet Liberty Palombaggia
Plage de Palombaggia
Tel 06 70 69 72 79
JetLiberty.com
Over 16s only can rent out jet skis from 15 mins (€50) up to five hours (€380). An induction course must be attended beforehand unless you are able to provide documentation to prove competence in piloting a jet ski of the power you are seeing to hire.
Bonifacio Windsurf
Piantarella
Tel 06 80 31 51 41
bonifacio-windsurf.com
Hires out windsurfers, kitesurfers and kayaks.
Bonifacio Sailing Club
Rue St Erasme
Tel 06 67 22 42 08
Windsurfing, dinghies, catamaran, Kayak and pedalos for hire.
Ecole de Voile les Fauvettes
Marina di Fiore, Trinité de Porto Vecchio
Tel 04 95 70 01 40
LesFauvettesCorse.fr
Club Nautique de Palombaggia
Palombaggia beach
Tel 06 20 79 64 52
Club Nautique de Santa Giulia
Santa Giulia beach
Tel 06 22 74 49 53
Club-Nautique.fr
La Compagnie des Sports
Plage du U Benedettu, north of Porto Vecchio
Tel 06 09 41 38 37 or 06 03 00 53 79
compagniedessports.com
Jet Skiing
Another weather dependant activity, which requires a calm and flat sea. As the wind often picks up during the day, this is often only available early mornings.
Pirate Adventure Corsica
La Tonnara beach
Tel 04 95 73 56 36
Pirate-adventure-corsica.com
Quad and mountain bike hire is also available here.
Jet Liberty Palombaggia
Plage de Palombaggia
Tel 06 70 69 72 79
JetLiberty.com
Over 16s only can rent out jet skis from 15 mins (€50) up to 5 hours (€380). An induction course must be attended beforehand unless you are able to provide documentation to prove competence in piloting a jet ski of the power you are seeing to hire.
Boat Trips
No trip to Bonifacio is complete without taking a boat trip around its impressive coastline. Here you will notice the extraordinary position of the town on top of the magnificent chalky cliffs not to mention the stunning secluded bays. Boats can be hired in most seaside towns or we can arrange to charter a yacht, complete with a skipper and crew, or arrange a boat trip from the port.
A boat trip as a passenger is a more relaxing introduction to the best of the coastline. Vedettes, pleasure boats that also operate as ferries are operated by many companies and so there is plenty of choice when it comes to exploring Corsica from the sea.
Société des promenades de Bonifacio
Port de Bonifacio
Tel 04 95 10 97 50
spmbonifacio.com
Shorter and longer trips available taking in the Bonifacio coastline, the caves and also farther afield to les Iles de Lavezzi.
A Dieu Vat, Santa Giulia
Tel 06 09 56 02 44
Mini cruise on board a 17m sailing yacht to the Lavezzi Islands. Leaves 9am from Santa Giulia and returns for 6pm. Adults €85 and children €50.
Chiocca Croisières
Port de Plaisance, Porto Vecchio
Tel 04 95 70 33 67 or 04 95 71 41 50
amour-des-iles.com
A motor boat trip lasting a full day (going to Bonifacio and the Iles de lavezzi) including breakfast and lunch.
